Nedwed and five others traveled to Princeton, N.J., two weeks ago to aid in relief efforts.

After arriving at Princeton, the Henderson County group — which included Nedwed, Jo Anne Forbes, Maggie Kant, Doug Owens, Terry Buettner and Joan Nyitray — was assigned to a shelter at Hopatcong High School in Hopatcong, N.J.

The shelter wasn't easy to find.

"When we first drove in, it was so dark," Nedwed said.

Not to mention that it was almost like navigating a maze, Buettner said. Almost every turn was met with downed power lines and trees. "You got the feeling you're entering a place that's kind of torn up," he said.

Once at the shelter, they were responsible for handing out blankets and managing the sleeping quarters.

Working from 4 p.m. till midnight every day, they interacted with children, parents and elderly people. Some who sought help were alone. Some had families.

"It was neighbor helping neighbor," Nedwed said. "What I saw was what a close community it was."

Nedwed said many of the people who came to the shelter were embarrassed at first to be seeking aid.

Hopatcong was not flattened like many of the communities struck by Hurricane Katrina, Buettner said.

"We weren't faced with devastation, people in the hospital or homes destroyed," Buettner said. "They knew it was just a matter of time before they go back."

At the peak, the shelter housed about 140 people, Buettner said. And in the final week of operation, the number of people in the shelter dropped from 80 to zero.

When the team left New Jersey on Tuesday, most Hopatcong residents had returned to their homes.